Hospice social worker vs behavioral health specialist

The differences between hospice social workers and behavioral health specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a hospice social worker, becoming a behavioral health specialist takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a hospice social worker has an average salary of $52,859, which is higher than the $44,808 average annual salary of a behavioral health specialist.

The top three skills for a hospice social worker include social work, patients and home health. The most important skills for a behavioral health specialist are patients, social work, and substance abuse.

Hospice social worker vs behavioral health specialist overview

	Hospice Social Worker	Behavioral Health Specialist
Yearly salary	$52,859	$44,808
Hourly rate	$25.41	$21.54
Growth rate	9%	9%
Number of jobs	110,787	130,222
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	45	45
Years of experience	2	4

What does a hospice social worker do?

A hospice social worker is primarily in charge of providing emotional support and guidance to terminally-ill patients and their families, aiming to give them comfort and assistance in various procedures. Their responsibilities include identifying the needs of patients and their families through visitations or appointments, coordinating with nurses and physicians, and serving as a patient advocate by providing them with spiritual and emotional comfort. Furthermore, as a hospice social worker, it is essential to assist families with the bereavement processes, referring them to other programs as necessary.

What does a behavioral health specialist do?

Typically working for clinics and learning institutions, a behavioral health specialist is in charge of counseling and treating patients with behavioral issues. Their responsibilities revolve around conducting initial assessment through interview and observation, maintaining records and data, developing treatment plans, and referring patients to other support services when necessary. Moreover, a behavioral health specialist must communicate with the patient's families or guardians, discuss conditions, and provide advice on taking care of them. Aside from treating patients, it is also essential to continuously monitor their behavior while building positive relationships with them.

Hospice social worker vs behavioral health specialist salary

Hospice social workers and behavioral health specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Hospice Social Worker	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average salary	$52,859	$44,808
Salary range	Between $41,000 And $67,000	Between $29,000 And $66,000
Highest paying City	-	Anchorage, AK
Highest paying state	-	Alaska
Best paying company	-	Maxim Healthcare Group
Best paying industry	-	Insurance

Differences between hospice social worker and behavioral health specialist education

There are a few differences between a hospice social worker and a behavioral health specialist in terms of educational background:

	Hospice Social Worker	Behavioral Health Specialist
Most common degree	Master's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Social Work	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Hospice social worker vs behavioral health specialist demographics

Here are the differences between hospice social workers' and behavioral health specialists' demographics:

	Hospice Social Worker	Behavioral Health Specialist
Average age	45	45
Gender ratio	Male, 13.8% Female, 86.2%	Male, 29.2% Female, 70.8%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 19.9% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 3.3% White, 58.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 7.9% Asian, 3.1% White, 74.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%
LGBT Percentage	13%	15%

Differences between hospice social worker and behavioral health specialist duties and responsibilities

Hospice social worker example responsibilities.

Collaborate with multidisciplinary team to provide necessary referrals and counseling to achieve establish patient goals.
Provide support, education and compassion to patients and family members.
Assist patients and families with obtaining necessary insurances such as Medicaid, etc.
Provide advocacy and support services to terminally ill patients, families and/or significant others to maximize benefits and limit out-of-pocket expenses.
Work as lead MSW on all pediatric hospice cases.
Work with other members of the IDT to track and document changes to the patient's status, coping, etc.

Behavioral health specialist example responsibilities.

Provide individualize intervention for problematic behaviors using TCI techniques such as de-escalation, to prevent and/or manage crisis.
Complete training in CPR, self-defense, and mental health.
Monitor meals for residents suffering from eating disorders and provide compassion and encouragement when an individual are struggling with eating.
Work with kids who have special needs.
Ensure departments are in compliance with MSHA and OSHA regulations.
Provide daily and weekly detail reports on client and BHP interaction.

Hospice social worker vs behavioral health specialist skills

Common hospice social worker skills

Social Work, 29%
Patients, 19%
Home Health, 11%
MSW, 5%
Patient Care, 4%
Crisis Intervention, 4%

Common behavioral health specialist skills

Patients, 16%
Social Work, 16%
Substance Abuse, 8%
Rehabilitation, 6%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Illness, 5%

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Community and Social Services Industry
Hospice Social Worker
Hospice Social Worker vs Behavioral Health Specialist

Updated January 8, 2025

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